Guide to the Nordic Ware Records

Transcription

1 Guide to the Nordic Ware Records Jennifer Daugherty. Processing of this collection made possible, in part, by a gift from Nordic Ware Archives Center, National Museum of American History P.O. Box Suite 1100, MRC 601 Washington, D.C archivescenter@si.edu

2 Table of Contents Collection Overview... 1 Administrative Information... 1 Arrangement... 9 Scope and Contents... 3 Biographical / Historical... 2 Names and Subjects Container Listing Series 1: Historical and Background Materials, 1940s Series 2: David Dalquist Files, Series 3: Marketing and Sales Records, Series 4: Engineering Department Records, Series 5: Financial Records, Series 6: Legal Records, Series 7: Recipes and Cookbooks, , undated Series 8: Non-Nordic Ware Reference Materials, , undated Series 9: Photographs, 1940s-2006, undated... 43

3 Collection Overview Repository: Title: Identifier: Archives Center, National Museum of American History Date: Extent: 28 cubic feet (53 boxes and 25 oversize folders ) Creator: Language: Summary: Nordic Ware Division, Northland Aluminum Dalquist, H. David Dalquist, Dorothy English Records of a family-owned manufacturing firm, best known for kitchenware products including the Bundt Pan and Micro-Go-Round. The collection richly documents the entrepreneurial spirit of the Minnesota firm and its history of product innovation through technical files, marketing materials, and administrative and financial records. Administrative Information Acquisition Information This collection was donated by Dorothy M. Dalquist and H. David Dalquist in Related Materials The Division of Work and Industry holds thirty-six objects from Nordic Ware (Accession # ), including Bundt Pans in a variety of shapes, foundry patterns and molds for Nordic Ware products, a wood panel display of products manufactured by Plastics for Industry, three versions of the Micro-Go-Round, and other kitchenware products. Processing Information Processed by Jennifer Daugherty (intern), 2007; supervised by John Fleckner, senior archivist. Processing of this collection was made possible, in part, by a gift from Nordic Ware. Preferred Citation Nordic Ware Collection, , Archives Center, National Museum of American History. Restrictions The collection is open for research use. Page 1 of 43

4 Conditions Governing Use Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning intellectual property rights. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions. Biographical / Historical In 1946, the year he returned from Navy service in the Pacific, H. David (Dave) Dalquist ( ) joined his brother Mark to launch a new manufacturing firm, Plastics for Industry, in Minneapolis. The two University of Minnesota graduates soon were making foundry patterns and industrial plastic products for area businesses, as well as aluminum consumer cookware. Among their earliest products were ebelskiver pans, krumkake irons, and rosette irons, essential kitchen tools for the area's large Scandinavian population. Their first employee, Donald Nygren, remained as head designer for many decades. In 1950, the brothers bought Northland Aluminum Products, a small firm with a line of "Nordic Ware" products including griddles and steak platters. The same year, Dave Dalquist created a cast aluminum, fluted cake pan at the request of two local women, members of the Hadassah organization. The women sought to replicate a heavy mold used in Europe. Northland Aluminum registered the trademark "Bundt" for the new product and began to sell it to local department stores. (The women sold manufacturing "seconds" as a fund raiser for their group.) Mark Dalquist created a firm, Maid of Scandinavia, to market products by mail. It separated from Northland Aluminum in Over the years, Northland Aluminum increasingly used "Nordic Ware" to identify itself for marketing and public relations purposes. Northland Aluminum created a subsidiary finishing and coating firm, Northland Color Anodizing Company, in In 1964, Northland became one of the first to license the use of Teflon from its inventor, DuPont, and non-stick products became an important part of the company's line. Northland also did coating work for many industries including medical, computer, and commercial food processing. For many years Northland also had a division to produce heads for video recording machines. Product sales reached $1,000,000 in During the 1960s, Nordic Ware grew slowly, gradually increasing its product line to include specialty baking and cookware items and stove-top cookware. The company also expanded its production capacity and built its sales and marketing capabilities, including a national network of sales representatives working on commission. Dorothy Dalquist, Dave's wife, played a vital role in the company's history. She joined him at crucial annual sales conventions to demonstrate products, tested new products, and developed recipes for them in her home kitchen. Additionally, she represented the firm in public relations activities. Although the Bundt Pan was only one of many Nordic Ware products, it became a national celebrity in 1966 when a Texas woman used it for her prize-winning Tunnel of Fudge Cake in the immensely popular Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest. In 1970, Nordic Ware licensed the Bundt trademark to Pillsbury for use with a line of cake mixes. Customers received a cake pan at a small additional price with the purchase of the packaged mix. Although this pan was spun of light aluminum, not cast like the original models, the Pillsbury promotion was very successful. In addition to the classic Bundt design, the company began producing special designs, including a cathedral, a castle, a rose, a heart, and, in 2006, a stadium shaped pan. The Bundt Pan continues to be the most popular cake pan in America, and the company estimates it has sold sixty million pans over the past six decades. Despite the steady popularity of the Bundt Pan, Dalquist and his firm knew that the spike in Bundt Pan sales resulting from the Pillsbury promotion was temporary, and they continued their strategy of seeking new products to buoy overall sales revenues. In 1978 Nordic Ware developed a "new thermoset plastic molding technology to create an extensive line of cookware designed to work in both conventional and microware ovens." In these same years, as microwave oven use rapidly spread, Nordic Ware developed Page 2 of 43

5 its second celebrity product. Designed by the company's own engineers, the Micro-Go-Round was promoted in print and television advertising and is still its most successful product. Since then, Nordic Ware has introduced a wide range of new products, some of them successful (for example, nonstick Barbecue Grill Cookware), others not (including a device to create convection currents in a baking oven and a bicentennial cake platter). Northland Aluminum holds at least twenty-five patents for its products. Today David Dalquist (born 1949) -- son of founder "Dave Dalquist" and, like his father, an engineer -- heads Nordic Ware. He has been involved with the company for his entire working life with major executive responsibilities since the early 1980s. David Dalquist's mother, Dotty, is on the Board of Directors and serves as Corporate Secretary. David's three sisters Corrine, Linda, and Susan are also involved in the business. The firm employs between 200 and 400 people and continues, as a point of pride, to manufacture its products in the United States. The family has refused numerous buyout offers. Nordic Ware has managed to design and market products for the large, low price retailers, including Wal- Mart, and for the upscale, specialty gourmet market. Williams-Sonoma, a leader in the latter field, has exclusive sales for a small number of new Nordic Ware products each year. For its sixtieth anniversary, Nordic Ware produced a company history, H. David Dalquist, The Nordic Ware Saga: An Entrepreneur's Legacy (Kirk House Publishers, Minneapolis, 2006). The volume provides edited recollections of "Dave," many family members, and other employees drawn from oral history interviews. This finding aid is based largely on that information, other historical sources within the collection, and visits to Nordic Ware offices by National Museum of American History staff members Paula Johnson and Nanci Edwards (June 2006) and Paula Johnson and John Fleckner (August 2006). Scope and Contents The Nordic Ware collection consists of approximately twenty-eight cubic feet of records from the Northland Aluminum Company, most dealing with its Nordic Ware business. The Dalquist family recognized the importance of record keeping, and this collection documents very well the evolution of an entrepreneurial, family-owned American business from its earliest years. Of particular interest for researchers may be the Pillsbury and Bundt Cake Pan dual marketing strategies, showcased mainly in Series 3, Marketing and Sales Records, , the introduction of ethnic cookware into American Culture through such dishes as the Rosettes and Timbales set and Taco dinner kit, the segmentation of product lines by price level to target consumers of differing incomes, and the issue of a trademarked term like "Bundt" becoming generic as seen in Series 6, Legal Records, Series 4, Engineering Department Records, , provide in-depth documentation of the technical development of several of Nordic Ware's innovative products. Series 1: Historical and Background Materials, 1940s-2006 These materials provide a history of Dave Dalquist as an entrepreneur and how this led to his ownership of Northland Aluminum Products and the Nordic Ware brand. There are histories put together by the company as well financial summaries for some years. The series contains The Nordic Ware Saga, a book edited and produced by the Dalquist family, and America at Home: A Celebration of Twentieth-Century Housewares. Both books have valuable background information on the company and how it fits into the housewares industry. There also are materials from the original business, Plastics for Industry. An undated marketing booklet, published about 1990, briefly describes the company's history and its product line and corporate structure. Additional company history is found in six installments written by Dave Dalquist under the title "From the Skipper" and covering the years 1946 to l985. Series 2: David Dalquist Files, Page 3 of 43

6 David Dalquist, the president and founder of the company, kept these files in his office and home. Dalquist had no formal filing system and preferred to group records together as he used them. This order has been maintained as much as possible to the folder level. Several files contain information and notes from Dalquist's attendance at the National Housewares Shows and the meetings held there with his sales representatives. The annual Housewares Shows in Chicago were key events in this industry and Nordic Ware made them a high priority. The sales meetings materials include speeches Dalquist delivered. This series reveals Dalquist's involvement with every aspect of the company. It portrays an entrepreneur who began with an engineering degree, very limited capital, and no business experience. Dalquist built a multimillion dollar company while insisting on high ethical and business standards. The several companies owned by the Dalquist family are documented in these files. There is a merger agreement between Northland Metal Finishers and Northland Aluminum. The records show the company went through several phases and had several brands besides Nordic Ware, including Minnesota Ware, DuNord, and Norcast. Series 3: Marketing and Sales Records, The Marketing and Sales Records focus mainly on the promotion of the Nordic Ware Brand and the sale and distribution of products, especially to the retail trade industry. There is evidence of how Nordic Ware presented its products to the industry and of other types of promotions to build brand awareness. These records are divided into three subseries: Subseries 1, General and Department Records, ; Subseries 2, Promotional and Trade Sales Materials, ; and Subseries 3, Public Relations, Subseries 3.1: General and Department Records, Dave Dalquist initially handled most of the company's marketing and sales, but as the company grew, a separate department was created. Among other things, this department created sketches of new product ideas that employees submitted as part of the New Product Idea meetings periodically scheduled by Dave Dalquist. Several files contain this artwork and a design notebook. There are also the files of Doug White, a Vice President of Marketing and Sales. Other art renderings, such as line art used in catalogs, are in this series. Subseries 3.2: Promotional and Trade Sales Materials, This subseries consists both of advertising geared towards the trade industry and that aimed at the consumer to promote brand image and sales. A 1970s scrapbook is a record of cross-promotional offers in which Nordic Ware and other firms advertised their products together in a single advertisement. The scrapbook also documents Nordic Ware products offered as sales premiums. The advertisements are organized by the brand co-featured in the advertisement. The Bundt Pan was the predominant Nordic Ware product in these advertisements. The Pillsbury file is especially important as it shows the building of the dual marketing arrangement which allowed Bundt Pans to be packaged with Pillsbury mixes. Nordic Ware received national publicity that it would otherwise have been difficult to generate. The Bundt Pan was integrated into magazine recipes and articles and included in mentions of other brands. These records document the remarkably brief time in which the Bundt Pan achieved national recognition. The trade market was critical to Nordic Ware. The Sales Guides, , were given to regional sales representatives with information on sales promotions and incentives to representatives for sales of Nordic Ware products in specific markets. The Guides also have product descriptions, so that each representative was fully familiar with the products. Along with these guides, Nordic Ware put out trade catalogs, also found in this subseries. Although there is no master list of the catalogs, many have been hand-dated by Nordic Ware employees. Many of the models in the catalogs and the advertisements were members of the Dalquist family, neighbors, and other acquaintances. Subseries 3.3: Public Relations, Page 4 of 43

7 These materials mainly document a series of campaigns created by Sara Jean Thomas, a public relations contractor. She worked with the marketing and sales department to build the Nordic Ware brand and to create a series of television and radio product promotions in the form of household hints. Several scripts are included here along with details of the overall campaigns. There also are files documenting the reach of these promotions. Other materials include a press kit for Chef Tell, a celebrity chef who represented Nordic Ware products for several years and who made appearances at its booth at the National Housewares Shows. New product press releases (with photographs) and general public relations files ( ), along with the Marketing Communication Plans ( ), give details on the planning of other public relations efforts. The trade press clippings scrapbook documents mentions of Nordic Ware and its products, competitors' advertising, and general developments in the house wares industry. Trade press clippings also are found in Series 8, subseries 4. Series 4: Engineering Department Records, The Engineering Department was vital to the success of Nordic Ware. Records in this series reveal the process by which a new product idea was developed, built, tested, and turned into a saleable product. Museum staff members selected the records in this series, occupying about five cubic feet, from a much larger group of files, roughly twenty-five feet in extent. The criteria for selection included substantive information on the design development of new products, especially those requiring substantial engineering work, and on product re-design to create cost efficiencies and resolve product problems. Subseries 4.1: General Records, These records deal with general departmental business and include incoming and outgoing correspondence and general files kept by individual engineers. They also provide operational information such as source for production materials, work orders processing, and treatment of employee issues in the department. Subseries 4.2: Laboratory Notebooks, 1972, Engineers in the department kept these notebooks mainly for developing design ideas and working out the technical logistics of bringing the designs into production. The notebooks also served as evidential records for patent disputes. The engineers signed and dated the pages of their notebooks as proof of when ideas were conceptualized and who recorded them. Subseries 4.3: Product Files, , undated These records originally were organized by product number, but no index to the numbering system accompanied the records so files of like products were grouped together. The Micro-Go-Round, Oven- Aire, and Wok are the most thoroughly documented. The records include blueprints at various stages of the products development, work orders for research and development, outside quotations, invoices, quality control tests and guidelines, memoranda to and from other company offices about product development, and other types of operational materials. Most of these products had multiple versions, and evidence of ongoing testing and modification is seen in the records. These records document some of the innovation that made Nordic Ware an important presence in the housewares industry. The Micro-Go-Round was a particularly revolutionary product at the time, and the records show how the company recognized a need for the product and did what was necessary to develop it, although it had little or no experience with microwave technology. Micro-Go-Round records also are found in Subseries 5 of this series. The Oven-Aire required extensive development efforts to bring to fruition. The idea behind this product was to make conventional ovens cook more evenly and operate like a convection oven. The records include photographs of the original working model, tests done in some of the engineers' home kitchens, and comparison photographs of foods cooked with and without the device. Though the product never took off in the market, the invention and development process is documented here from the perspective of the several parties who worked on it. To a much more limited Page 5 of 43

8 degree, records for some of the other products -- like the Popgun Popcorn Popper and the Supremer Ice Creamer --demonstrate the design and development process. There is even information about packaging design for some of the products. Subseries 4.4: New Product Ideas Files, These records document Nordic Ware's efforts to identify and develop a stream of new products and to involve employees in that process. They include product ideas submitted from outside the firm but primarily relate to New Product Meetings at which employees shared their own ideas. The meetings often included voting for the best ideas and for those that would be most feasible to manufacture. Most of the files contain original artwork, usually brought to the meeting by the marketing department. They also include lists of product ideas and who submitted them, ballots for the voting on the best ideas, and notes taken at the meetings. Several files have memoranda to the employees encouraging submission of ideas outside the annual meeting cycle. Related materials are found in Series 3, Marketing and Sales Records, , Subseries 1, General and Department Records, Subseries 4.5: General Research and Development, This subseries mainly contains files on the development of microwave cookware products and the Micro- Go-Round. Dr. T.K. Ishii, a leading researcher in microwave technologies from Marquette University, served as a consultant to Nordic Ware. He advised on technical problems and explained processes to the Nordic Ware engineers to enable them to develop products. Other materials deal with the application and certification process for Underwriters Laboratories, an independent organization that tested products and certified them as meeting its safety standards. Subseries 4.6: Patent Materials, Many records in this subseries deal with the patent application process. An outside legal firm submitted Nordic Ware's applications and negotiated with the Patent Office. The records include correspondence surrounding patent disputes and sworn affidavits by engineers submitted as proof of their work. Several reference files of non-nordic Ware patents are in this subseries. Many were sent by the law office to Nordic Ware engineers to keep them current on new developments. Subseries 4.7: Trade Associations, These records reflect the participation of Engineering Department staff in trade associations, especially The Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc. Lloyd Keleny and several others were involved with the Microwave Oven Cookware Committee. The Society was concerned with the absence of standards for microwave ovens and the resulting problem that cookware used in these ovens was not always effective. The Committee gathered data and encouraged the microwave industry to recognize that consistency was needed. There also are files from the Frankfurt International Housewares Fair, Nordic Ware tried to build its presence internationally, and fairs such as this were opportunities to meet foreign manufacturers and distributors. They also enabled the company to see what was happening on a global level. Series 5: Financial Records, These records include financial information for Nordic Ware and other Dalquist interests, including Maid of Scandinavia Company, when it was still joined with Northland Aluminum Products, and the Minnesota Brand of Cookware. The intermixing of financial reports, invoices and receivables, petty cash receipts, and bank statements for the various enterprises demonstrates the close relationship of all of the beginning operations of the Dalquist family. There are many examples of consolidated financial information in the records including the balance sheets, combined financial reports, income statements, and the audit reports. Of particular interest is the accounting ledger ( ) for Plastics for Industry, the Dalquist brothers' original company. It has handwritten entries and shows the company's simplified bookkeeping Page 6 of 43

9 system. It also provides important financial data on the startup capital and the progress in the first year of business. Reports created by the research firm Dunn and Bradstreet contain information submitted by the Dalquists to prove their credit worthiness to lenders. Several loan agreements document the company's practice of borrowing money on future earnings in order to meet operating expenses and finance innovation. Machinery owned by Nordic Ware is listed in several factory inventories. The firm also leased machinery instead of buying in order to save money. Inventory summaries ( ) detail the numbers and value of the unsold product then on hand. Though Nordic Ware stock was never traded publically, there was an employee shareholder plan that included profit sharing. Records in this subseries document the evolution and operation of the plan, including one employee's case for a public offering of the company stock. At some point Dave Dalquist did consider making the company public but decided to maintain private ownership. The emphasis on taking pride and ownership in the company was often repeated in memoranda that Dalquist wrote to employees about stock options. The records show that he was very conscious of morale and high standards of work within the company. Series 6: Legal Records, The bulk of these records deals with trademark issues, especially Nordic Ware's creation, licensing, and protection of the "Bundt" mark. Included are copies of correspondence with the law firms that handled applications to the Patent and Trademark Office and correspondence from that office. Correspondence and legal papers document licensing negotiations with Pillsbury and others. In several instances Nordic Ware took legal steps when the Bundt Pan trademark was being misused. Series 7: Recipes and Cookbooks, , undated This series is comprised of a large selection of cookbooks and recipe files maintained by Dotty Dalquist and reflect her active role in business activities. She did much of her cooking and experimenting in a test kitchen in her own home and was integral to the preparation of foods to be photographed in Nordic Ware products. These photographs demonstrated the use of the products and were included in the advertisements, catalogs, and product or recipe brochures. Subseries 7.1: Dotty Dalquist Recipe Files, bulk 1950s-1970s, mainly undated Dotty Dalquist kept recipes, product booklets, notes, and other materials to aid in the development of her own recipes. She organized much of the material by food type, but she also had several files for specific Nordic Ware products. The Bundt Pan was a major product, and the files on it reflect that. As Nordic Ware sought new ways to promote the use of its products, Dalquist's development of new and inventive recipes was a major part of that effort. Subseries 7.2: Bundt Pan Cookbooks, Nordic Ware published several books by Dotty Dalquist to promote use of the Bundt Pan. Pillsbury and other firms also published their own books. Pillsbury incorporated its products into the recipes to promote the dual product relationship between the Bundt Pan and the Pillsbury brand of cake mixes. These books were sold in stores and added as premiums to go along with the purchase of the other products. Subseries 7.3: Other Recipe and Public Relations Materials, , undated Recipe contests and a cookbook were among the efforts to involve employees with the Nordic Ware products and to generate new recipes and ideas. These files include photographs and entries and correspondence about these employee activities. Page 7 of 43

10 A file of correspondence, mainly to and from Dotty Dalquist, concerns problems consumers encountered using specific recipes that she had published. Consumers also wrote about recipes they had tried on their own and could not get satisfactory results with a Nordic Ware product. Dalquist's problem-solving efforts were an example of the personal customer service in which Nordic Ware took pride. Series 8: Non-Nordic Ware Reference Materials, , undated The materials in this series were used by Nordic Ware as reference resources. They have been organized into subseries by type. Subseries 8.1: Sponsored Cookbooks, , undated Dotty Dalquist collected cookbooks published by a wide range of manufacturers and trade organizations. The cookbooks are arranged in alphabetical order by the name of the sponsor. Many companies, such as Pillsbury and General Foods, put out these kinds of books to promote their own brands. This may have influenced Dalquist's creation of her own Bundt Pan cookbook. Subseries 8.2: Product Guides (some with recipes), , undated These product guides, for appliances and other items used in Dotty Dalquist's kitchen, include use instructions and, often, recipes. Nordic Ware often included recipes in the print materials packaged with its products and associated with its advertising. Subseries 8.3: Home and Food Related Ephemera, , undated These materials include booklets of general household hints, recipe cards published by various organizations, and information on food processes. Subseries 8.4: Periodicals, Several scrapbooks in this subseries contain clippings from various trade publications. Some focus on Nordic Ware and Northland Aluminum Products in articles or advertisements while others contain industry, including competitors', product advertisements. There are several issues of trade periodicals with Nordic Ware related stories. Trade press clippings also are found in Series 3, Marketing and Sales Records, , Subseries 3, Public Relations, Subseries 8.5: Newsletters, 1961, , undated Most of these newsletters were for reference use with Nordic Ware's microwave cookware projects. With its extensive line of these microwave products, there was an active effort to stay up to date with the field. The firm also tried to find different kinds of foods and recipes that could be prepared using a microwave oven. Series 9: Photographs, 1940s-2006, undated This series consists of a wide range of photographic prints re-housed in archival sleeves and assembled into a single binder. The photographs are arranged roughly by image content and document the Dalquist family and employees; factory and offices scenes, including a series of black and white images by Mel Jacobsen, a commercial photographer; and product displays at trade shows and other locations. The photographs also include a few images of Nordic Ware products and of baked foods and black and white images of plastic molds created by Plastics for Industry. Most of the photographs are undated and many are unidentified. There is a View Master viewer with one viewing card containing photographs assembled for Nordic Ware's sixtieth anniversary in Series 2, David Dalquist Files, includes five photographs of foods baked in Bundt Pans. Series 3, Marketing and Sales Records, Subseries 1, General and Department Records, , has photographs of a factory outlet store and product displays. Page 8 of 43

11 Arrangement The collection is divided into nine series. Series 1: Historical and Background Materials, 1940s-2006 Series 2: David Dalquist Files, Series 3: Marketing and Sales Records, Subseries 1, General and Department Records, Subseries 2, Promotional and Trade Sales Materials, Subseries 3, Public Relations, Series 4: Engineering Department Records, Subseries 1, General Records, Subseries 2, Laboratory Notebooks, 1972, Subseries 3, Product Files, , undated Subseries 4, New Product Ideas Files, Subseries 5, General Research and Development, Subseries 6, Patent Materials, Subseries 7, Trade Associations, Series 5: Financial Records Series 6: Legal records Series 7: Recipes and Cookbooks Subseries 1, Dotty Dalquist Recipe Files, 1950s-1970s, undated Subseries 2, Bundt Pan Cookbooks, Subseries 3, Other Recipe and Public Relations Materials, , undated Series 8, Non-Nordic Ware Reference Materials Subseries 1, Sponsored Cookbooks, , undated Subseries 2, Product Guides (with some recipes), , undated Subseries 3, Home and Food Related Ephemera, , undated Subseries 4, Periodicals, Subseries 5, Newsletters, 1961, , undated Series 9: Photographs, 1940s-2006, undated Page 9 of 43

12 Names and Subject Terms This collection is indexed in the online catalog of the Smithsonian Institution under the following terms: Subjects: Aluminum Baked products Bakery equipment and supplies industry Baking Baking pans Cookery, American Ethnic food industry Kitchen utensil industry Kitchen utensils Types of Materials: Catalogs Cookbooks Correspondence Correspondence Design drawings Financial records Legal records Photographs Photographs -- 20th century Geographic Names: Minneapolis (Minn.) Preferred Titles: Bundt Brand Bakeware Page 10 of 43

13 Series 1: Historical and Background Materials Container Listing Series 1: Historical and Background Materials, 1940s-2006 Box 1, Folder 1 Amendment to the Articles of Incorporation, 1964 Box 1, Folder 2 Company History Information and Financial Summaries, Box 1, Folder 3 Employee Policies and Procedures, undated Box 1, Folder 4 Invitations to Nordic Ware Related Events, 1977, 1981, 1963, 1970 Image(s) Box 1, Folder 5 The Nordic Ware Saga, 2006 Box 1, Folder 6 Materials Used for Nordic Ware Saga, Box 1, Folder 7 America at Home: A Celebration of Twentieth-Century Housewares, 1997 Box 1, Folder 8 The Nordic Line Employee Newsletter, Box 1, Folder 9 Northland Aluminum Company Flyers, circa 1905 Box 1, Folder 10 Plastics for Industry Brochure with Original Artwork, 1940s Return to Table of Contents Page 11 of 43

14 Series 2: David Dalquist Files Series 2: David Dalquist Files, Box 2, Folder 1 Agreement of Merger, June 19, 1974 Box 2, Folder 2 Balance Sheets, 1969, Box 2, Folder 3 Bank Premium Offer, Correspondence and Advertising Materials, Box 2, Folder 4 Barbeque Correspondence and Promotional Materials, Box 2, Folder 4 Barbeque Correspondence and Promotional Materials, 1987 Box 2, Folder 5 Barbeque Correspondence and Promotional Materials, 1987 Box 2, Folder 6 Barbeque Product File, 1985 Box 2, Folder 7 Belgian Waffler, Crepe French Skillet Demo Kit Master File, 1985 Box 2, Folder 8 Blueprint for Success, 1979 Box 2, Folder 9 Boat, Box 2, Folder 10 Brown and Bigelow Gift "Playgrounds of the World" Box 2, Folder 11 Bundt Pan Recipes with Photographs, 1973 Box 2, Folder 12 Correspondence about Pollution License and Teflon Odor, Box 2, Folder 13 DuNord Proposal, undated Box 2, Folder 14 Dupont Magazine article approval copy, April 30, 1974 Box 3, Folder 1 General Correspondence and Memoranda, Box 3, Folder 2 General Office Files, July 1976 Box 3, Folder 3 General Office Files, Box 3, Folder 4 Box 3, Folder 5; Map-case 8, Drawer 9, Folder 31 Inventory Management Seminar, undated Joint Promotion with Banks, 1975 Box 3, Folder 6 Jorgen Jorgenson Work Files, Box 3, Folder 7 Box 3, Folder 8 Box 3, Folder 10 Kenro Corporation Information Letterhead Samples Manufacturing Equipment and Processes, undated Page 12 of 43

15 Series 2: David Dalquist Files Box 3, Folder 11 Marketing Man Advertisement Copy, 1973 Box 3, Folder 12 Mirro Product File, 1973 Box 3, Folder 13 Box 3, Folder 14 Miscellaneous Brochures, Clippings, and Donation Solicitations, undated Micellaneous Correspondence, including a 1993 memorandum summarizing the business history, Box 3, Folder 15 Multi-Fry Cook, January 1978 Box 4, Folder 1 National Housewares Exhibit, June 1967 Box 4, Folder 2 National Housewares Exhibit, January 1968 Box 4, Folder 3 National Housewares Exhibit, July 1969 Box 4, Folder 4 National Housewares Exhibit, January 1970 Box 4, Folder 5 National Housewares Exhibit, July 1970 Box 4, Folder 6 National Housewares Exhibit, January 11-15, 1971 Box 4, Folder 7 National Housewares Exhibit, July 9-13, 1973 Box 4, Folder 8 New Products Focus Groups, August 1988 Box 4, Folder 9 Operation and Production, 1973, Box 4, Folder 10 Pillsbury Bakeoff Booklet and Contestant Correspondence, 1971 Box 4, Folder 11 Prince Die Cast Machine, 1970 Box 4, Folder 12 Overseas Production Materials, Box 4, Folder 13 Product Advertisements, circa 1970 Box 4, Folder 14 Product Catalog with Revisions, 1975 Box 4, Folder 15 Product Information, 1975 Box 4, Folder 16 Proposal for Specialty Cookware Manufacturing, February 15, 1975 Box 5, Folder 1 Sales Information, Box 5, Folder 2 Rough Draft of Company History, October 4, 1968 Box 5, Folder 3 Sales Guide, 1982 Box 5, Folder 4 Sales Guide 1, 1984 Box 5, Folder 5 Sales Guide 2, 1984 Page 13 of 43

16 Series 2: David Dalquist Files Box 5, Folder 6 Sales Meeting, July 1963 Box 5, Folder 7 Sales Meeting, July 1965, January 1966 Box 5, Folder 8 Sales Meeting, January 9, 1966 Box 5, Folder 9 Sales Meeting, January 16, 1972 Box 5, Folder 10 Sales Meeting, July 1972 Box 5, Folder 11 Sales Meeting, January 14, 1973 Box 5, Folder 12 Sales Meeting, July 1973, January 1974 Box 6, Folder 1 Sales Meeting, July 4, 1974 Box 6, Folder 2 Sales Meeting, January 11, 1976 Box 6, Folder 3 Sales Meeting, January 1977 Box 6, Folder 4 Sales Meeting, Summer 1978 Box 6, Folder 5 Sales Meeting, November 3, 1985 Box 6, Folder 6 Sales Representative Kit, 1975 Box 6, Folder 7 Sales Representative Product Releases with Photographs, 1973 Box 6, Folder 8 Sexual Harassment, 1972 Box 6, Folder 9 Trademark Disputes, 1977, 1974 Box 6, Folder 10 Trade Literature and Sales Meeting Materials Results, Box 6, Folder 11 Twenty-Fifth Anniversary Program and Invitation, 1971 Box 6, Folder 12 Box 6, Folder 13 Vikron Brochure, Edited Copy, undated What Does It Take to Launch My Company? Paper with Photographs, undated Return to Table of Contents Page 14 of 43

17 Series 3: Marketing and Sales Records Series 3: Marketing and Sales Records, Subseries 3.1: General and Department Records, Box 7, Folder 1 American Kitchen Life Survey, 1991 Box 7, Folder 2 Brand Name and Trademark Listing, undated Box 7, Folder 3 Bundt Carton Design and Printing, 1971 Box 56, Folder 7 Map-case 8, Drawer 9, Folder 35 Bundt Cookbook Press Release and TV Promotion, undated Consumer Appeal Packaging (trade poster), Pick-A-Pan; "In Major Magazines;" Demonstration Today, 1977, undated Box 7, Folder 4 Cookware Label Count, September 16, 1970 Box 7, Folder 5 Crepes and Things Line Art, undated Box 7, Folder 6 Factory Outlet Photographs and Information, 1994 Box 7, Folder 7 French Skillet Sales Script, undated Box 7, Folder 8 Hardware Show Sales Meeting, August 9, 1987 Box 7, Folder 9 Hasbro Home Products File, 1971 Box 7, Folder 10 Holey Smoker Invention Manufacturing Proposal, undated Box 7, Folder 11 Housewares Show Sales Meeting, January 10, 1997 Box 7, Folder 12 Housewares Show Sales Meeting, 1997 January 10 Box 7, Folder 13 Kaiser Backform Bundt Distributor Solicitation, 1974 Box 7, Folder 14 Kitchen Bakeware Brand Image Analysis, 1995 Box 7, Folder 15 Box 7, Folder 16 Krumkake Iron Product Line Art, undated Krumkake Iron and Cone Maker Line Art, undated Box 53, Folder 13 Magazine Recipes, , 1967 Box 7, Folder 17 Marketing Plans and Recommendations, July 1983 Box 7, Folder 18 The Media School Handbook, undated Box 8, Folder 1 The Metal Cookware and Bakeware Industry Report, Box 8, Folder 2 Microwave Cookware Marketing Facts, Page 15 of 43

18 Series 3: Marketing and Sales Records Box 8, Folder 3 National Housewares Exhibit, January 1975 Box 8, Folder 4 New Product Concepts Focus Group, 1987 Box 8, Folder 5 New Product Design Book, John N. Taylor, Box 8, Folder 6 New Product Exploration Focus Group, 1988 Box 8, Folder 7 New Product Ideas Original Sketches, circa 1984 Box 8, Folder 8 New Products Examination Focus Group, 1989 Box 8, Folder 9 Box 8, Folder 10 Box 8, Folder 11 Box 8, Folder 12 "Over 300 Ways to Use Your Bundt Book" Promotional Mailing and Responses, Original Design Sketches and Copies, Multifryer, undated Waren Peterson?: Book of Sales Contacts, undated Warren Peterson: Sales File Prints, undated Box 8, Folder 13 Pillsbury Allowance Agreement, Box 8, Folder 14 Popgun Focus Groups, 1987 Box 8, Folder 15 Printing Numbers for Labels 1, 1971 Box 8, Folder 16 Product Demonstration Manual, undated Box 8, Folder 17 Programs (Promotions), 1991 Box 8, Folder 18 Robin Hood Bundt Agreement, 1976 Box 8, Folder 19 Rosette and Timbale Set Product Line Art, undated Box 8, Folder 20 Sales Meeting, January 1974 Box 8, Folder 21 Sales Representative Correspondence and Sales Figures, Box 9, Folder 1 Sales Representatives Photo Contest, 1973 Box 9, Folder 2 Trade Folder, 1983 Box 9, Folder 3 Trade Sales Arrangements, 1970, Box 9, Folder 4 Doug White: Line Art Sell Sheets, undated Box 9, Folder 5 Doug White: New Product Idea Suggestions and Disclosure Forms, Box 9, Folder 6 Doug White: New Product Idea Suggestions and Disclosure Forms, Box 9, Folder 7 Doug White: Nordic Ware History Page 16 of 43

19 Series 3: Marketing and Sales Records Box 9, Folder 8 Doug White: Price List Line Art, 1992, undated Box 9, Folder 9 Doug White: Sales Guide (edited), about 1990 Box 9, Folder 10 Doug White: Product Literature and Letterhead Samples Box 9, Folder 11 Doug White: Sample Nordic Ware News Sheets, 1985 Subseries 3.2: Promotional and Trade Sales Materials, Box 47, Folder 1 Twelve Cup and Original Bundt Pan Catalog Page Line Art on Board, September 25, 1990 Box 53, Folder 11 Alternate Ad Layouts, Good Housekeeping, 1973 Box 47, Folder 2 Bakeware and Bundt Pan Display Line Art on Board, undated Box 54, Folder 14 Bank Premium Offers, Correspondence and Advertising Materials, Box 10, Folder 1 Box 47, Folder 3 Barbeque Demonstration Kit, undated Bundt and Bundtlette Pan Catalog Page Line Art on Board, undated Box 47, Folder 4 Bundt Pan Catalog Line Art on Board, October 2, 1990 Box 47, Folder 5 Bundt Pan Catalog Page Line Art on Board, October 30, 1990 Box 47, Folder 6 Box 47, Folder 7 Box 53, Folder 20 Box 56, Folder 1 Bundt Pan Catalog Page Line Art on Board, undated Bundt Pans with Cookbook Catalog Page Line Art, undated Casserole Dish, undated Catalogs and Price Lists, 1950s Box 56, Folder 2 Catalogs and Price Lists, 1963, 1966, 1958, 1973, , 1972 Box 56, Folder 3 Catalogs and Price Lists, Box 56, Folder 4 Catalogs and Price Lists, Box 56, Folder 5 Catalogs and Price Lists, Box 57, Folder 1 Catalogs and Price Lists, Box 57, Folder 2 Catalogs and Price Lists, 1986, 1989 Box 57, Folder 3 Catalogs and Price Lists, 1991, undated Box 47, Folder 8 Cookware Catalog Page Line Art on Board, September 21, 1990 Page 17 of 43

20 Series 3: Marketing and Sales Records Box 10, Folder 2 Cross-Promotional Materials, 1972 Box 10, Folder 3 Box 53, Folder 2; Box 10, Folder 4 Box 53, Folder 3; Box 10, Folder 5 Box 10, Folder 6 Box 53, Folder 4; Box 10, Folder 7 Box 53, Folder 5; Box 10, Folder 8 Box 10, Folder 9 Box 10, Folder 10; Box 53, Binder 6 Box 10, Folder 11 Box 53, Folder 7; Box 10, Folder 12 Box 53, Folder 8; Box 10, Folder 13 Box 10, Folder 14; Box 53, Binder 9 Box 10, Folder 15 Box 10, Folder 16 Map-folder 34 Box 10, Folder 17 Box 10, Folder 18 Cross-Promotional/Premiums Scrapbook - 3 Minute Brand and Nordic Ware Cross-Promotional/Premiums Scrapbook - Betty Crocker and Nordic Ware Cross-Promotional/Premiums Scrapbook - Blue Diamond and Nordic Ware Cross-Promotional/Premiums Scrapbook - Creammette and Nordic Ware Cross-Promotional/Premiums Scrapbook - Dominos and Nordic Ware Cross-Promotional/Premiums Scrapbook - Jello and Nordic Ware Cross-Promotional/Premiums Scrapbook - Libby and Nordic Ware Cross-Promotional/Premiums Scrapbook - Magazine Recipes using Nordic Ware Products Cross-Promotional/Premiums Scrapbook - Mail-In Nordic Ware Only Offers Cross-Promotional/Premiums Scrapbook - Miscellaneous Brands with Nordic Ware Products in Alphabetical Order Cross-Promotional/Premiums Scrapbook - Multiple Brands in One Ad with Nordic Ware Products Cross-Promotional/Premiums Scrapbook - Pillsbury and Nordic Ware Cross-Promotional/Premiums Scrapbook - Recipe Booklets and Nordic Ware Cross-Promotional/Premiums Scrapbook - Robin Hood and Nordic Ware Cross-Promotional (oversized): 3-Minute Oats, Jello, Pillsbury, 1975, undated Cross-Promotional/Premiums Scrapbook - Results of Campaigns Factory Outlet Sales Flyers, undated Box 10, Folder 19 Hearty Breakfast Promotion, 1974 Box 10, Folder 20 Industrial Services Brochure, undated Box 10, Folder 21 Japanese Catalog Pages and Sales Information, 1984 Box 10 Japanese Microwave Product Display, undated Page 18 of 43

21 Series 3: Marketing and Sales Records Box 53, Folder 17 Lutheran Brotherhood, Sales Campaign, 1970 Box 10, Folder 23 Maid of Scandinavia Catalog, 1974 Box 10, Folder 24 Maid of Scandinavia Catalog, Box 10, Folder 25 Maid of Scandinavia Catalog, Box 47, Folder 9 Micro-Go-Round Catalog Page Line Art on Board, September 21, 1990 Box 47, Folder 10 Micro-Go-Round Catalog Page Line Art, September 26, 1990 Box 47, Folder 11 Micro-Go-Round Catalog Page Line Art on Board, October 19, 1990 Box 47, Folder 12 Microwave Ten-piece Set Catalog Page Line Art on Board, July 27, 1990 Box 47, Folder 13 Microwave All-in-One Set Catalog Page Line Art, undated Box 47, Folder 14 Microwave Cookware Catalog Page Line Art on Board, February 2, 1990 Box 47, Folder 15 Microwave Cookware Catalog Page Line Art on Board, September 26, 1990 Box 10, Folder 26 Box 10, Folder 27 Norcast Nordic Ware Brochures, 1994, undated Box 47, Folder 16 Microwave Cookware Catalog Page Line Art on Board, October 30, 1990 Box 47, Folder 17 Microwave Cookware with Betty Crocker Catalog Page Line Art on Board, undated Box 46, Folder 18 Microwave Products Catalog Page Line Art, October 11, 1990 Box 10, Folder 28 Miscellaneous Nordic Ware and Minnesota Ware Product Labels, undated Box 47, Folder 19 Molds Catalog Page Line Art on Board, September 21, 1990 Box 10, Folder 29 Box 10, Folder 30 Box 47, Folder 20 Box 11, Folder 1 News from the Nordic Ware Kitchen and Demonstration Instructions, undated Nordic Ware Promotion with Norman Rockwell Lithographs, 1970s Oven-Aire Catalog Page Line Art on Board, undated Pillsbury Bake Off Tear Off Recipe Coupons, undated Box 11, Folder 2 Press Kit, 1983 Box 11, Folder 3 Point-of-Purchase Product Advertisements, about 1974 Box 11, Folder 4 Product Advertising Leaflets, undated Box 11, Folder 5 Product Advertising Postcards, about s Page 19 of 43

22 Series 3: Marketing and Sales Records Box 11, Folder 6 Box 11, Folder 7 Box 11, Folder 8 Product Instruction and Care Guides (some with recipes), undated Product Recipe Books, undated Product Sales Ephemera, undated Box 11, Folder 9 S & H Green Stamps Booklet and Gold Bell Gift Stamps Coupon Book, 1963 Box 11, Folder 10 S & H Idea Book, 1975 Box 11, Folder 11 Sales Guide, Box 12, Folder 1 Sales Guide, April 1986 Box 12, Folder 2 Sales Guide Show Update, April 1986 Box 12, Folder 3 Sales Guide, November 1986 Box 12, Folder 4 Sales Guide 1, 1987 Box 12, Folder 5 Sales Guide 2, 1987 Box 12, Folder 6 Sales Guide, 1990 Box 12, Folder 7 Sales Guide, 1992 Box 12, Folder 8 Sales Guide, 1993 Box 12, Folder 9 Sales Guide, 1994 Box 13, Folder 1 Sales Guide 1, 1995 Box 13, Folder 2 Sales Guide 2, 1995 Box 13, Folder 3 Sales Guide, 1998 Box 13, Folder 4 Sales Guide, 2000 Box 13, Folder 5 Sales Guide, 2004 Box 14, Folder 1 Sales Product Kit, 1983 Box 47, Folder 21 Sizzler Catalog Page Line Art on Board, 1990 July 27, July 27, 1990 Box 14, Folder 2 Swedish Rosettes Advertisement on Board, undated Box 14, Folder 3 Top Value Stamps Gift Catalog, 1974 Subseries 3.3: Public Relations, Page 20 of 43

23 Series 3: Marketing and Sales Records Box 14, Folder 4 America's New Way to Cook Promotion TV Result, December 4, 1986 Box 14, Folder 5 Better Homes and Garden New York Trips, , Box 14, Folder 6 Consumer Hotline Interview with Kathy Hengle, 1987 Box 14, Folder 7 Cook's Corner Radio Promotion Results, 1986 Box 14, Folder 8 Box 14, Folder 9 Chef Tell Press Kit, undated Consumer Product Releases, undated Box 14, Folder 10 Correspondence about Public Relations, Box 14, Folder 11 Box 14, Folder 12 Extra Photographs of Tender Cooker, Popgun Popcorn Popper, Waffler, Micro- Go-Round, and the Supremer Ice Creamer Donavon Jon Fandre, Microwave Cook Press Information Box 14, Folder 13 Free TV Promotional Script, 1987 Box 14, Folder 14 General Public Relations File, Box 14, Folder 15 General Public Relations File, Box 14, Folder 16 The Great Escape Promotional Script, 1987 Box 53, Folder 20 Great Escape Advertising Layout, 1987 Box 14, Folder 17 Marketing Communications Plan, Box 14, Folder 18 Marketing Communications Plan, Map-case 8, Drawer 9, Folder 32 McCormick Place Fire, Newspapers, 1967 Box 14, Folder 19 Nordic Ware Consumer Newsletters with Additional Photographs, 1988 Box 53, Folder 18 "Nordic Ware Family Ties Up Market Niches," Entrée, 1987 Box 14, Folder 20 Map-case 8, Drawer 9, Folder 23 Nordic Ware Press Kit, undated Newspaper Advertisements, Box 14, Folder 21 Potomac Videos News Releases Production, 1986 Box 15, Folder 1 Potomac Black and White Mat Releases, 1987 Box 15, Folder 2 Box 15, Folder 3 Product Promotions in Newspaper Results, undated Product Slides, undated Page 21 of 43

24 Series 3: Marketing and Sales Records Box 49, Folder 1 "Product Mentions," (Clippings and Circulation Reports), Box 50, Folder 1 "Product Mentions," (Clippings and Circulation Reports), Box 15, Folder 4 Public Relations Memoranda from Sara Jean Thomas, 1989 Box 15, Folder 5 Pubsat Video Promotional Work, 1987 Box 15, Folder 6 Radio Scripts and Pickup Reports for Product Promotion, 1987 Box 15, Folder 7 Results from Public Relations Campaigns, Box 15, Folder 8 Results of Consumer Public Relation Program (Print), Box 15, Folder 9 Sara Jean Thomas-Consumer Communications Plan Agreement, 1985 Box 15, Folder 10 Today's Trend Radio Promotion Results, 1986 Box 56, Folder 6 Box 53, Folder 15 Box 52, Folder 1-3; Binder 51, Folder 1-3 Trade press Clippings, 1948, 1968, 1950s Trade press Clippings, , undated Trade Press Clippings Scrapbooks, Box 15, Folder 11 Twin Cities Product Introduction Party, September 24, 1986 Box 15, Folder 12 Video News Release for Product Promotion, 1987 Return to Table of Contents Page 22 of 43